Arias Calls for
Development, Security,
Democracy in Central
America
Costa Rica's President
Oscar Arias said
Wednesday that peace in
Central America is not
possible without
economic development,
security and stronger
democratic institutions.
Arias made the statement
at the celebration of
the 20th anniversary of
the Esquipulas II
Accords, which ended the
armed conflicts in
Guatemala, Honduras,
Nicaragua and El
Salvador.
"We cannot continue
being a region of peace
with hunger, peace with
fear, and peace with
hate," he said.
The accord won Arias the
1987 Nobel Peace Prize
and prompted the
creation of the Arias
Foundation which helped
Panama abolish its army.
In his speech he thanked
the presidents present
who signed the agreement
20 years ago: El
Salvador's Jose Napoleon
Duarte, Honduras's Jose
Azcona and Guatemala's
Vinicio Cerezo.
Arias also thanked
Nicaragua's Daniel
Ortega who was visibly
absent from the meeting.
Arias urged Central
American leaders to
consolidate the region
by forming a bloc and
said free trade and
better democratic
systems are essential
for development.
He praised the positive
aspects of free trade
and criticized those who
opposed the ratification
of the region's free
trade agreement with the
United States and the
Dominican Republic,
which Costa Ricans will
put to a referendum on
Oct. 7.
Arias said that the
speeches against the
agreement, which raise
doubts about democratic
institutions, are
dangerous because they
diminish the peace and
democracy which the
country has enjoyed.
"We are playing with
fire," he said. "Neither
Costa Rica nor Latin
America in general can
continue sliding down
the slope from verbal
violence to the start of
conflicts. Nothing is as
important in our region,
a region which little
deserves to return to
those dark years of
civil conflict".
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